Chapter 23
When Arthur mentioned it, the Williams brothers suddenly remembered that Elizabeth and Raymond were celebrities here for a show. They quickly agreed, worried they might mess up their filming.
"Alright," Robert said, "you can have lunch at Jesse's place and dinner at mine. You've had a rough day, so no need to work in the orchard. Just take it easy."
Since Ronald and Nancy were part of Elizabeth's crew, the brothers extended the same warm invite to them, offering meals and a break from orchard work. Their genuine hospitality left the four with no choice but to accept.
After Robert and his brother left, Nancy and Ronald hung out in the yard. Ronald turned to Elizabeth with a grin, "We won again today, thanks to you."
Ronald genuinely admired Elizabeth and Raymond for their brave rescue. If it had been him, he might not have had the guts to jump into the reservoir under such dangerous conditions. Their bravery earned his respect. Risking their lives to save kids said a lot about their character, and he found their straightforward nature refreshing and trustworthy.
Nancy felt the same way. She looked at Elizabeth and said, "Elizabeth, you're amazing."
Elizabeth wasn't just perceptive; she was incredibly brave. Nancy could swim, but she wasn't sure she would have had the courage to jump in. Especially during the most dangerous surge, Elizabeth had turned back to save Raymond instead of saving herself. They both made it out, but if they had been swept away together, the chances of survival would have been slim. Nancy admired Elizabeth for doing what she herself couldn't.
Elizabeth smiled and said, "I've always been working out, so my stamina is pretty good."
She then suggested, "Since we don't have to go to the orchard today, why don't we find something to do here in the yard? We can keep busy here instead."
Her attempt to change the subject only made everyone admire her more. Others might have milked the rescue for attention during the live broadcast, but Elizabeth didn't. Raymond also didn't want to dwell on the rescue. They had acted on instinct and didn't want to turn it into a boastful story.
"Sure, what should we do?" Raymond asked.
Elizabeth thought for a moment. "What are you good at? I can fix electrical appliances."
Raymond laughed. "Does being good at video games count?"
Elizabeth chuckled. "You're an e-sports champion, bringing glory to the country. Of course, being good at games counts."
She shrugged. "But here, you won't have much opportunity to show that off."
After the rescue, Raymond felt closer to Elizabeth and spoke more freely. "Do you have any good suggestions?"
Elizabeth asked, "What are you good at? Or do you have any hobbies?"
Raymond straightforwardly said, "I'm mainly good at gaming, singing, and dancing. Oh, and I'm good with musical instruments too."
Ronald chimed in, "I'm best at acting. My hobbies are calligraphy and painting."
Nancy added, "I'm best at singing, and I can dance too. My hobbies are gaming and shopping."
Hearing their responses, their fans flooded the live chat with playful comments, enjoying the candidness.
Elizabeth thought for a moment and suggested, "How about we set up a few classes based on your skills and hobbies?"
The three looked puzzled. "Set up a few classes?" they echoed.
Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, the village head said most of the villagers are elderly and children. It's summer vacation now, so the kids are all at home. We can find things for them to do. For example, Raymond, you could teach the kids singing, dancing, or playing instruments. The show can provide the necessary equipment, like musical instruments. Ronald could teach the children calligraphy and painting. Nancy could teach them singing and dancing. I can help fix electrical appliances or tutor them with their homework. We don't need money as payment; just some food will do."
Raymond grinned. "That sounds like a great idea. I'm in."
Ronald nodded. "Yeah, I can do that. It'll be fun."
Nancy smiled. "Count me in too. Let's make this summer memorable for the kids."
This way, not only could they earn some food, but it would also make their live broadcast content more interesting. Otherwise, like today, if they kept harvesting peaches in the orchard, the audience would soon get bored.
Hearing Elizabeth's suggestion, the three of them smiled even more. This idea was great—not only was it easier than harvesting fruit, but it also had more appeal.
They unanimously agreed, "This could work."
Nancy thought for a moment and suggested, "How about we prepare today and start the classes tomorrow?"
The others agreed, "Sure."
They wanted to prepare as well; after all, if they didn't teach the kids well, it would be embarrassing on the live broadcast.
Elizabeth smiled and said, "Then let's go find the village head and have him inform the villagers."
The three agreed, "Alright!"
But before they could head to the village committee, the village head came to them first. He started by thanking Elizabeth and Raymond for saving the children. He then explained the situation with the reservoir gate being suddenly opened. It turned out that the person guarding the reservoir had gone to the restroom, and his mischievous son had pulled the lever, accidentally opening the gate, nearly causing a disaster. If it weren't for Elizabeth and Raymond, the two children of the Williams family might have drowned. The villagers would have certainly held a grudge against the reservoir guard's family, leading to unrest in the village. The village head still felt a chill thinking about it.
After some polite exchanges, Elizabeth and Raymond brought up their earlier discussion. The village head smiled and said, "This is a great idea! Go ahead and start the classes; leave the rest to me."
The village was poor and underdeveloped, so he hoped these celebrities could bring some change to the children's lives, giving them a glimpse of the outside world.
The village head, familiar with the village, went door-to-door to spread the word about the classes. He also publicized Elizabeth and Raymond's heroic rescue efforts. Robert and his brother shared the story with everyone they met. As a result, the villagers' impression of Elizabeth and her team shifted from indifference to goodwill.
Hearing that these celebrities could teach their children singing, dancing, painting, or help with homework, many elderly and parents were intrigued. When they learned that Elizabeth could fix electrical appliances and had repaired the village's broken tractor, they brought out their broken appliances and took them to the yard, asking Elizabeth for help.
Elizabeth was the first to get to work, borrowing tools from the village committee and asking the show crew to prepare some materials. She began repairing broken TVs, radios, and other appliances for the villagers. Elizabeth worked diligently, quickly, and efficiently. Except for those appliances that needed new parts, she fixed everything.
"Elizabeth is amazing; she can fix so many things, not just tractors," one villager marveled.
Another added, "She's really something. We're lucky to have her here."
As Elizabeth worked, the other three prepared for their classes. Raymond gathered musical instruments, Ronald set up art supplies, and Nancy organized a space for singing and dancing lessons. The yard buzzed with activity and excitement.
By the end of the day, the villagers were not only grateful but also excited for the classes to start. The atmosphere in the village had shifted, and there was a sense of anticipation in the air.
[Even if she weren't in the entertainment industry, she could make a living with her repair skills.]
[She's so smart, coming up with the idea of holding classes.]
[I'm suddenly excited to see how they'll teach the kids.]
[Elizabeth is like a treasure, always surprising us.]
Elizabeth gained many new fans of different types. They kept praising her without being annoying.
At noon, the four of them went to Jesse's house for a sumptuous lunch and then returned to the yard. Elizabeth continued fixing appliances while the other three prepared their lesson plans. Each time Elizabeth fixed an appliance, she received bread, meat, and vegetables from the villagers.
By the afternoon, as the villagers happily left with their repaired items, the table in the yard was piled high with food. This left the other team, who had spent the whole day harvesting fruit, staring in astonishment. They were surprised to see that Elizabeth could fix so many appliances and noticed that Raymond and the others also benefited. This made them even more envious!
"Wow, look at all that food," one of the team members said, eyes wide.
"Elizabeth really knows how to make things happen," another added, shaking their head in admiration.
Raymond, Ronald, and Nancy couldn't help but smile at their good fortune. They knew they had Elizabeth to thank for her quick thinking and resourcefulness.
"Guess we picked the right team," Ronald joked, nudging Raymond.
"Absolutely," Raymond agreed, grinning. "Elizabeth's a real game-changer."
Nancy nodded. "Let's make sure we do a great job with these classes. We owe it to the kids and the villagers."
Elizabeth looked up from her work, smiling at her friends. "Let's make this summer unforgettable for everyone."
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